"It is not going to be a pleasant year in either the general fund or the education budget,” said Sen. Jimmy Holley, (R) Elba.

Next Wednesday, the house committee on education will start looking at the education budget.

Legislators have to cut $345 million from the proposed budget Governor Bob Riley set up because of stimulus money congress has not acted on.

One proposed plan of action is to reduce the school year from 180 days to 175 days.

"That would save about $90 million for the entire state which would go a long ways in offsetting the shortfall in the governor's education budget" said Sen. Holley.

"Another thing would be to delay purchasing new school books for a year or delaying the purchase of new school busses for a year, but of course you can't do that forever," said Rep. Steve Clouse, (R) Ozark.

The next challenge is the general fund which pays for everything in state government except education.

It goes toward things like state troopers, mental health, welfare agencies, and state prisons.

Legislators hope to take advantage of programs the federal government will give matching funds for like Medicaid and the highway department.

"The General Fund Budget will possibly be prorated by 12 percent for the rest of this year. It is a situation where we had some stimulus money last year and we may have more this year to deal with the Medicaid which is of course the biggest part of the general fund," said Rep. Clouse.

Another piece of legislation representative Clouse feels is important is the “Jobs Bill.”

If businesses across the state hire people who have been unemployed and keep them for a year, they will receive a tax credit for up to half of what the worker's salary is.

The bill has already passed the house, and now would need to go through the senate.

The legislative session will resume next Tuesday.

Also today, the Alabama court system is laying off more than 100 temporary employees.

Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb said the layoffs, which are due to funding shortages are effective March 31.